Apparatus for measuring pipe in or out of holes



Oct. 13, 1953 B. s. MINOR ETAL 2,655,633

APPARATUS P0P MEASURING PIPE IN 0R OUT 0F HOLES Filed May 7, 1951 n 2 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 13, 1953 B. s. MINOR ET AL 2,655,633

APPARATUS POR MEASURING PIPE 1N 0R ouT OP HOLES Filed May '7, 1951 2 Sheets-SheefI 2 Patented Oct. 13, 1953 UNITED 'STATES PATENT OFFICE '2,655,633 APPARATUS FOR MEASURING IPE IN R. OUT 0F HOLES Burt S. Minor, Whittier, and Frank J. 'Lopkerg Los Angeles, Calif., assgnors to Regan Forge 8a Engineering Co., San edro, Calif.,

tion of California Applicat'ion May 7, 1951, Serial No.'22'4,'984

4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a device for measuring the length of tubing, casing, drill pipe, etc., as it is being' lowered into or raised out of -an oil well. It can also be used for many other purposes, for example, the measuring of lengths of wire, wire rope, strip stock, rails, etc. The primary object of our invention is to provide means of this type, which is simple and efficient in operation, and which automatically registers, at al1 times, the amount or length of pipe which has been lowered into or raised out of a well.

In ordinary practice, when pipe is being moved into an oil well, itis `also moved in an opposite direction or upwardly a certain amount 'due to the need to release the slips which engage the pipe as it is being threaded vtogether and `for Vother purposes, therefore, it is necessary to record or register the net movement of the pipe into the well in order that an accurate measurement may be obtained.

Another object of our `invention, therefore, is to provide a means of recording or registering the movement of pipe both into and out of the well, the algebraic sum of these measurements being the net amount of pipe which 'ls lowered into the well.

A feature of our invention 'is to measure the length of rpipe as it is moved into or out of `a. well by the use of a device similar to a wire recorder which magnetically marks the material which is to be measured; these markings will be placed a predetermined distance apart; as the markings pass a pick-up device, they will be counted through an appropriate type of counting device, and this count will be translated -into units of length.

Still another feature of our invention is to provide a recorder unit adjacent to the material which is to be measured, this recorder unit impressing a pip magnetically on the .material and then picking up this pip in a receiver accurately spaced from the recorder, then counting these pips or signals `as -they are received by the receiver and then erasing the pip" or signal after it passes the receiver.

Other objects, advantages and features of invention may appear from the accompanying drawing, the subjoined detailed description and the appended claims.

In the drawing- Figure l is a diagrammatic view of an oil well, showing the position of our electronic measuring device.

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic layout of our electronic measuring method. l

.3 is .a wiring diagram .of one type Lof Ielectronic counter, which might be vused .in connection with our measuring method.

.Figure 4 `is a wiring diagram of one type .of recording circuit which is used in connection with our 4electronic :measuring method.

Figure y5 is a wiring diagram of `one .type `oi! Areceiving or listening circuit which is used in connection withour electronic measuring method.

VReferring :more vparticularly -to the drawing, .thenumeral l `indicates the `usual oil well derrlck .in which the travelling block A2 is mounted and on which .the Apipe .3 ris suspended .to either raise or lower this pipe in theoil well.

Referring first to Figure 2, We provide an electronic head or unit y4, which is positioned adjacent to the pipe 3, as shown, and includes a recording head 5, whichk magnetically places a pip on to the ypipe as the pipe is lowered past this head. The head 5'is spaced slightly from the ,pipe so that collars, etc. can pass.

Positioned below the head 5, we provide a pick-up head v6, which is spaced below the head 5, by the Adistance Vl3'--C.. 'The distance 4B-C' f is accurate and a fixed amount, as will -be subsequently described. An erasing head l'l is positioned below the pick-up head E and this erasing head is spaced -below the head B by a ldistance AB. A second pick-up head `8 may be provided above the recording yhead .5 .and is spaced a distance B-C above the .head 5. A second erasing head .9 may also be provided above 'the pick-up head and is spaced a distance AB above the pick-up head. It is necessary that the distance A-B and A'-B be less than the distance vB--C and .B'-C'. Also, the distance .B--C equals the distance B-C'.

It is well known that a vnumber of circuits .can be used to magnetically impress a signal on .to the pipe 3 through the head 5, .Such van electric unit may include a pulse .Shaper l0 which transmits the pip or other signal. This signal then goes into the output amplier level control l'l, which then places the signal into the head 5, and thence on to the pipe u3 in .the usual and ywell known manner of wire recorders. The particular amplifying circuit may be 'of the type shown in Figure 4, but `this is only one example of many types of electric circuits.

The volt incoming current passes 'through the power transformer l2, and :thence into .the electronic circuit which amplies the signal which -is introduced 'through the microphone or 'other sound pick-up tubes 13, and thence through the triodes i4, AI5 and I6. The amplified signal is then passed through the head-5 `and magnetically impressed on the pipe 3. The various resistances. condensers, etc., in the circuit shown in Figure 4 may be varied to suit the particular requirements of the unit.

In Figure 5 the electronic amplifier I1 is shown, and this amplifier is or may be identical to the amplier shown in Figure 4, the tubes I4', I5' and I6 being identical to the tubes I4, I5, and I6, previously described. Also, the power transformer I2 may be of the same type as shown at I2. The pip or other signal is received in the head 6 and is amplified through the triode tubes and picked up by the counter I8, which may be either of the mechanical or electronic type, as desired. If it is of the electronic type, a typical wiring diagram is shown in Figure 3.

Electronic counters have been known and used for many years and the electronic counter I8 is merely one example which can be used. As here shown, the counter consists of four or more identical circuits I9, the circuits being inter-connected so that a certain number of pulses from one circuit will cause the operation of the succeeding circuit, etc., throughout the counter. Specifically, as here shown, each stage I9 employs an ordinary dual triode vacuum tube 20 arranged in a well known trigger circuit. The basic functioning of all four or more stages is alike and is dependent upon shifting of operating potentials back and forth between the various stages. A xed potential is applied to the cathode of the tube at all times and grid plate potentials are obtained from the resistance network 2l.

"i'he output of the counter is indicated at 22 and if desired a mechanical counter 2.3 can be connected with the electronic counter to carry a continuous total of the number of pulses which pass the receiver head 6. After the magnetic impressions, i. e., the pip, passes the recelver head 6 it is erased by the erasing head 1, and this erasing head may be operated by the electronic circuit shown in Figure 4 and consists of a tube 23, which operates only as an oscillator to generate the erase voltage which is impressed on the head 1. The tube 23 may be of the GVG type or similar tube.

It is evident that the pipe 3 will move both upwardly and downwardly while it is being 1nserted in the well and, consequently, the upward movement of the pipe must be ascertained and subtracted from the total movement of the pipe so that the proper length of the pipe may be obtained. If the pipe 3 moves upwardly, the pip or magnetic mark is received on the head 8 and is counted by the electronic counter 25 identical to the counter I8. At the completion of the run, the total numbers recorded on the counter I8 which will give the total length of pipe 3. The top erasing head 9 is also provided so that on upward movement of the pipe the pip or magnetic mark will be erased as it passes the head 9.

In operation, the starter switch 25 is closed manually and a pulse is transmitted to the amplier IG and output ampliiier II, and thence to the output head 5, thus placing a pip or electronic mark on the pipe 3 as this pipe starts to move downwardly. Now, as this pulse passes the receiver or pick-up head 6, the signal is ampliiied at I1 and then passes into the electronic counter I8 where the successive signals are counted. The head 6 is a denite distance below the head 5, i. e., B'C and this distance is fixed and is known. As the pipe 3 continues to move downwardly, the magnetic signal on the pipe is erased by the head 1. As the pip passes the head 6 and is amplified at I1, as previously described, the pulse also passes through the pulse emitter 26 and thence through the relay 21, which causes another pulse to be sent back through I0' and Il, and thence through the head 5 and on to the pipe 3. This pulse is repetitive as long as the pipe 3 continues to move either downwardly or upwardly. Since the distance B-C and B'-C are xed and known, therefore, the number of pips counted by the counters I8 and 24, can be translated into units of length. The distance A--B Vand A'-B are less than B-C and B-C', so that the magnetic signal will be wiped off of the pipe as soon as it passes the heads 6 or 8. The total length of the pipe 3 will be calculated by the algebraic sum of the counters I8 and 24.

As the pip passes the head S it will be picked up and immediately counted by the counters I8 and 23, and at the same time the pulse emitter 26 is actuated, which sends another pulse through the pulse shaper II! and output II, and thence to the head 5, thus placing the next pip on the pipe which is again counted as it passes the head 6, as previously described. This continues as long as the pipe 3 continues to move. It will thus be evident that a pulse is automatically initiated each time that a pip passes the head 6 and is counted. rl`he pips are all erased by the eraser head 1 so that there is no danger that they will be counted more than once.

The gate circuit 21 acts as an electric or electronic valve causing the signals to move only in one direction. The gate permits energy to pass from the pulse emitter 26 to the pulse shaper Iil, but not in a reverse direction.

Having described our invention, we claim:

l. Apparatus for measuring moving pipe and the like including an electronic recorder to place a magnetic impression on said pipe as it passes, means to impress a pulse signal on said recorder, a pair of pick-up means located at predetermined distances on opposite sides of said recorder, individual means connecting each of said pick-up means with said recorder and pulse signal means for controlling said recorder from said pick-up means to cause placing of magnetic impressions, means to count the impressions picked up by each of said pick-up means and a pair of erasing means on opposite sides of said recorder and beyond said pick-up means to erase magnetic impressions which have actuated said pick-up means and said recorder.

2. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the spacing between each erasing means and the adjacent pick-up means is less than the spacing between such pick-up means and the recorder and wherein said predetermined distances are equal distancs.

3. Apparatus for measuring moving pipe and the like including an electronic recorder to place a magnetic impression on said pipe as it passes, means to impress a pulse signal on said recorder, a pair of pick-up means located at predetermined distances on opposite sides of said recorder, individual means connecting each of said pick-up means with said recorder and pulse signal means for controlling said recorder from said pick-up means to cause placing of magnetic impressions and a pair of erasing means on opopsite sides of said recorder and beyond said pick-up means to erase magnetic impressions which have actuated said pick-up means and said recorder.

4. Apparatus for measuring moving pipe and the like including an electronic recorder to place a magnetic impression on said pipe as it passes` means to impress a pulse signal on said recorder, a first pick-up means beyond said recorder on one side thereof at a predetermined spacing, means connecting said rst pick-up means with said recorder and pulse signal means for controlling said recorder from said first pickup means to cause placing of a magnetic impression, means to count the impressions picked up by said first pick-up means, a rst erasing means beyond said rst pick-up means and on the opposite side thereof from said recorder to erase a magnetic impression after it has actuated said rst pick-up means and said recorder, a second pickup means on the other side of said recorder at a predetermined spacing, means connecting said second pick-up means with said recorder and pulse signal means for controlling said recorder from said second pick-up means to cause placing BURT S. MINOR. FRANK J. LOPKER.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,332,797 Hume Oct. 23, 1943 2,466,251 Martin Apr. 5, 1949 2,488,277 Falk et a1. Nov. 15, 1949 2,581,209 Shepard et a1. Jan. 1, 1952 2,603,688 Cole et a1. July 15, 1952 

